The pressure of competition and the relentless comparisons to her rivals seem to have taken a serious toll on Angel Reese, as reports indicate her mental and emotional state is rapidly deteriorating after learning she had almost zero chance of being named the Unrivaled League’s regular season MVP.

According to sources close to Reese, the news has sent her into an emotional spiral, leaving her family deeply concerned about her well-being.

“She locks herself in a room, crying over and over, asking, ‘Why not me?'” an insider revealed. “She wanted this so badly, and now she feels like everything she’s worked for is being overlooked.”

The Breaking Point for Reese?

WNBA Sends Strong Message On Angel Reese Before Preseason Finale - Athlon Sports

Reese has long been known for her confidence, competitive fire, and unapologetic personality, but behind the scenes, sources say the weight of expectations, media scrutiny, and the success of her biggest rivals has been wearing on her.

While Reese had an outstanding season and was considered a top talent in the Unrivaled League, insiders claim that the voting process left her with almost no chance at the coveted MVP title, a reality that has devastated her.

“Angel truly believed she had a shot. She put everything into this season, and now she feels like it was for nothing. This isn’t just about losing an award—this is about feeling like she’s being pushed aside in favor of others,” a close source explained.

Kate Martin says this Lynx star is Unrivaled’s MVP

It’s not the person you might be thinking!

Laces v Lunar Owls - Unrivaled 2025 Laces v Lunar Owls – Unrivaled 2025 | Megan Briggs/GettyImages

When it comes to who should be voted in as Unrivaled’s first-ever MVP, Kate Martin has a clear favorite: her Lace’s BC teammate Kayla McBride.

The Laces launched their McBride campaign on Instagram on Thursday, March 6. The post features a a photo of McBride playing in the league along with several tweets and messages endorsing her as the candidate. “McBride for MVP…#NUFFSAID. Make sure to vote for Kayla McBride for Unrivaled’s MVP presented by @millerlite,” the team wrote in the caption.

“My MVP,” Martin wrote in the caption.

Why Kate Martin has been missing from Unrivaled

Martin herself hasn’t been seen on the court at Unrivaled since before the league’s 1v1 tournament in February. In fact, she’s only played 6 games so far (and averaged 7.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals) — and a recent update indicates Martin might not return to the floor at all for the Laces.

WNBA reporter Meghan L. Hall offered several updates relating to Unrivaled on March 3. She noted that Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu will not play any more games due to “prior commitments,” Naz Hillmon has joined the league on a player relief contract, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will miss the rest of the season due to an injury — and she offered an update about Martin.

“Kate Martin and Kahleah Copper are not expected to be on the bench during upcoming games as they continue to rehab from injuries,” Hall explained. “They are expected to return to towards the end of the season.”

Kate Martin’s Unrivaled injury

Unfortunately for Laces and Valkyries fans, other details about Martin’s injury aren’t available to the public. And though it’s disappointing that fans in Miami might miss out on watching Martin in action, it’s definitely a good thing that she’s taking her injury and rehab seriously ahead of the 2025 WNBA season with Golden State.

Playing for the Valkyries will give Martin the opportunity to shine on the court in a way that she didn’t always get while playing for a superstar team like the Aces. Back when she was drafted to the team in December, Martin told ESPN, “I’m really excited [to join the Valkyries].”

“This league is all about opportunity and you just need one shot. I’m very thankful for the Aces and everything I got to learn there, but I’m excited for this new team and to build something from the ground up.”